Concrete proportions per 1 m3 - features of preparation

Concrete is the main building material in the construction of foundations and foundations, and its popularity is due not only to the democratic cost, but also the fact that there is simply no alternative to this option. But it is very important to observe the volumetric proportions of concrete in the preparation process, this review will be devoted to this moment, because the strength of the future structure depends on the correctness of the ratio of the components.

What to consider when preparing a solution

In fact, the proportions of concrete per cube may vary.

And it depends primarily on the quality of each component, consider each of them separately:

• Cement is undoubtedly the most important component, and the quality of the finished product largely depends on its quality. For work it is best to use the composition of the brand M500, its price is higher than that of other options, but the properties are disproportionately better. And the most important thing is that it needs to be added much less in order to achieve the required strength properties, this facilitates the work, especially if it is done manually.

Tip! It is best to choose a cement that was released no more than 3 months ago, this ensures that the composition has the stated properties.

• Sand is also very important for quality mortar, since the poor quality of this component leads to a decrease in the binding properties of concrete and increases the consumption of cement. Large- and medium-grained river sand or washed sand from a pit is best suited, the presence of impurities of silt or clay is undesirable, and in the manufacture of high-grade solutions even unacceptable.
• Another important component is crushed stone, the best of hard rocks with a fraction of up to 400 mm. In some cases, the use of larger fractions is allowed, but it is not worth taking too small ones, as this reduces the operational characteristics of the solution. Crushed stone for the manufacture of concrete must be clean, without chernozem and plant residues.

• The last of the required components is water. Without it, it is impossible to make concrete, but its excess is undesirable, because too much liquid consistency reduces the strength of the concrete composition and impairs its properties. It is better to take clean water, in the winter it should be warm, and in the summer it can be used cold (this will increase the setting time of the concrete).

Cooking features

In reference books and the Internet, concepts such as “proportions of concrete 1-2-3” are often found, and those who have never come across such expressions often cannot understand what this indicator means.

In fact, everything is quite simple:

• The first digit always means how many pieces of cement need to be added.
• The second regulates the amount of sand in the composition.
• The third one denotes crushed stone and its volume fraction in the composition.

Sand and Crushed Sand Cooking

You can calculate the proportions of concrete in buckets, you can use any other container, most importantly, to maintain accuracy, as even a deviation in the volume of cement in 1 kg can degrade the properties of concrete.

If you carry out the work yourself and knead the composition manually or using a mobile concrete mixer, the easiest way to measure the proportions of concrete in shovels, it will greatly speed up and simplify the process. The main thing is to always gain approximately the same amount, and when adding cement it is worthwhile to add an extra spade.

Better to understand the issue and structure the information will help a small table of proportions of concrete:

And remember that the proportion of concrete to 1 cube always implies that all components are of high quality without any impurities with normal humidity.

As you can see, the proportion does not indicate the proportion of water, and this has good reasons:

• Its quantity directly depends on the degree of moisture of the components.. The generally accepted norm is half the volume of the composition, but if the work is done by hand, it will be very difficult to interfere, so more water will be needed.
• Remember one very simple rule: the more water in the solution, the lower its strength after solidification. But the disadvantage is not allowed, since moisture acts as a catalyst for processes in cement, due to which the composition acquires the structure of a stone.
• Optimum consistency - when the solution does not spread and does not stick to the shovel. If necessary, you can make it a little thinner. Universal version - the proportions of concrete 1-3-5, it is suitable for most foundations.

Mixing the composition using sand and gravel

In order to further simplify the work, instead of sand and rubble, you can use sand and gravel (abbreviated as it is called CBC). It is a mixture of sand and gravel with a fraction of up to 80 mm. The best option is the composition extracted from the river bottom, as a rule, there are no impurities in it, which guarantees the excellent quality of the solution.

The proportions of concrete from the PGS are even simpler, since only two components are used. If you are dosing using shovels or buckets, then to prepare the composition for pouring the foundation of the M200 brand, you must observe a proportion of 1 to 7. The amount of water may vary depending on the humidity of the mixture, as it can be stored outdoors and absorb moisture.

Note! You can use and enriched mixture, it differs in that it is not extracted in finished form, and is prepared by mixing the components. There are 5 groups of compounds, for work it is better to choose the 3.4 or 5 group, since it contains more gravel content, which means that the resulting strength is higher.

The proportions of concrete from OPGS are 1: 8, which allows to save cement and compensates for the higher cost of sand and gravel.

Conclusion

Observance of the correct proportions in the preparation of concrete is a prerequisite for achieving a good result. When it comes to strength, it is better that it be slightly higher than necessary, than to fail to reach the stated indicators. The video in this article will clearly show some features of the process.